Samhain The Gateway of time
by urban-story-queen
Summary: Following "the Christmas Fiasco" the Holiday worlds know each others names, and share a relaxed peace. But what will happen if someone tries to take over- not just all the holidays- but time itself. Can Jack and his family save the day? T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS II:

SAMHAIN; THE DOOR OF TIME

"Boys and Girls of every age,

Would you like to see something strange?

Come with us and you will see,

This our town of Halloweeeen."

The well known refrain sang across the grave yard, seeming to cling to the dense fog. The song, which lifted the dank atmosphere of the dark night, gave the evening a jovial tinge, despite the gloomy settings that Patrick found sprawled out before him.

It was a grave yard, not atypical from any other graveyards that Patrick had seen. Unless you included the jack-o-lanterns that sat row upon row along the hills, all of which Patrick swore were following him as he walked. In the distant trees, a dead man swung from a rope, while mist swirled around his ankles. To his surprise, the mist seemed to take on the shapes of clawed hands, which ran long nails against his shins, then disappeared as quickly as they had been conjured.

As Patrick the III beheld the scene before him, it was all that he could do to stifle a scream when a hand with long green fingernails placed itself upon his shoulder. As he spun on his heel, he tried to think of a banishing spell that is father taught him or a protection charm that his mother had given him. However, he needn't have bothered. To his undying relief, the hand belonged to Lucky, his twin sister, who had painted her nails emerald green to match her felt dress and eyes.

She laughed when she saw her brothers face. His usually pale completion had turned a positively sick gray that made his freckles stand out like pepperoni on a pizza. "Was' wrong brother? You're as jumpy as a wee cat!"

"Ay, sis. It this place. Don' ya feel it? It gives me the creeps."

"Ay, ay, I hear you. I do feel something'. Remind me why we agreed to come here?"

"You know why! Da' said it were right for us to go to the Holiday Festival, 'cause we hav'ta…"

"Begin to assume responsibilities for when we take over Saint Patrick's day, 'cause he an Ma' aren't getting any younger an wanna retire to the clover fields. I know I know."

"That an Ma' did want us to go."

"Ya reckon? I think they were just sick a you moping around after Mabel!"

"Aw, get on wi' ya! There's no way I was moping over some lass. So, which way is this Halloween town?"

"Don' changes the subject, Pat. Anyway, I don know where Halloween town is."

The twins surveyed the graveyard, and they didn't like what they saw. The gravestones were arranged in such a way and in such magnitude that the meager cobblestone path took on the form of a dark maze, because such was the amount of graves that the path had to split, fork and crossroad in various places to lead to each plot. If they tried to traverse it, they would surely become lost for hours. The only speck of hope they could see was a strange spiraled hill, which, considering that it resided in the area the music was wafting, it seemed like the most logical place to head for. The twins decided that they would make out for the hill so that if nothing else they could see above the thick fog, and pick out a course of action from there.

"Well" said Patrick. Offering his sister his arm, so he wouldn't lose his only ally in this shadowy realm. "Once more unto the bridge…"

"An all that rot." Lucky finished, slipping her arm through her brothers, locking their elbows together to form a protective wall made of sibling comradely.

So they began their hike along the long and twisted path, in more ways then one…

**And so ends the first chapter of my second story. Reviews are greatly appreciated! No, scratch that, Reviews are HUGLEY Appreciated. Also a disclaimer and possible apology…**

**By now you may have noticed some strange spellings and grammar mistakes in Patrick and Lucky's speech. As these characters (owned by me) are born in Ireland, I am attempting to give them an Irish sounding dialogue and voice. But since I have never been to Ireland, and do not know anyone who speaks with an Irish Accent, my dialoging is mainly built on guesswork** **and what I have heard on television. If any of my readers happen to speak with an Irish accent, and are in anyway offended** **or alienated by this story, I am sincerely sorry. It was not my intention to offend you. And I would very much appreciate it if you could tell me (via the Review section, see the green button) where I am going wrong. Thank you for your patience and understanding. **

**Urban Story Queen.**


	2. Stalkers, Charms, and Introductions

Chapter 2: Stalkers, Charms and Introductions.

It was after they had followed the path for about half an hour, and after Lucky had tripped over 3 lopsided gravestones that Patrick began to suspect that they were being followed. He could swear that he could hear someone close behind them in the fog, walking to their pace, stopping when they did. All the time getting a little bit closer and heavier. It was after the 4th time, when Lucky also tore her dress on a branch that grew from a particularly decrepit headstone, and when she began to scream because she thought it was the hand of a corpse, that he knew they were being followed. Because while Lucky began to scream, Patrick swore that he could hear someone laughing in the darkness.

He tried to make her keep quiet, but once Lucky began to protest, she was likely to keep going until she either passed out or lost interest.

"NO PAT I WILL NOT BE QUIET!"

"No, seriously Lucky, keep quiet for a mo'"

"No! Damn it Pat! I will scream if I want to! What kind of freaky, sick place are we in? How do people live like this? Who could live like this! I'm telling ya brother, these Halloween folks aren't… normal! Its not…natural to be happy about death. Who in their right minds celebrates being dead!!!!!!"

"Lucky, would you shut up for a minute an listen! I think were being followed!"

"What? Oh great. Followed by what?"

"Well, if you're quiet, maybe I can tell you…Look, I can't take much more of this! The hills just ahead. Let's throw caution to the wind and run the rest o' the way."

"Are you mad? I can'ne run in heels!"

"Yes ya can! Ya jus' Canna' do it well…"

"Spoken like a true man!"

"Look, I'm not fighting with you about this! I don wanna stay in this freak-less sideshow for another minute. On the count o' 3, we go. 1…2…3!"

And with that, they were off. They ran and ran and ran. As they ran, they realized, to their horror that the footsteps from nowhere began to run too!

They ran and ran until they finally reached the top of the hill. It was only then, when they were bathed in the full moons bright light that they dared to turn around, only to discover that they were completely alone. Who ever it was had plainly decided to stick to the shadows. With hearts still galloping, Patrick and Lucky began to question if there was really any need for them to worry at all.

"I think we've found our missing guests, don't you?" drawled a soft, nasal voice behind them.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" Lucky screamed again, sending Patrick's heart leaping through the roof of his mouth. His brain jammed, and as if controlled by robotics, he spun and fired a banishing spell at the figure nearest to him, a tall robbed figure, with a face obscured by a mask.

With astounding grace, the figure twisted out of the spells path, before snapping back into place like a young willow tree. The 3 cohorts standing behind the figure weren't so lucky. The two on the side dove out of the way (emitting cries of "HIT THE DIRT" and "UN- HOLY MOLEY!"), while the third ducked just in time to have the spell blast a hole through the center of her hat.

"What in hells name are you doing?" Asked one cohort, who lay sprawled on the ground (A short and strong-built young man with pasty white skin, whose mask had been knocked oddly crooked, so it looked like he was talking out of his nose.)

"Yeah! You could have hurt someone!" Snapped a young green skinned girl, who looked astonishingly like a witch, while she put an arm through the large, singed hole in her hat.

"Right. That's OUR job!" snickered another young man, (a very handsome devil, thought Lucky) brushing the dust of his red suit before smoothing his slicked hair.

The fourth figure, the one with the moves that would have shamed the matrix martial artists, gave a small laugh at her friends remark.

"My friends are right. Is that how leprechauns always greet their hosts?"

At that moment, Lucky chose to region the real world.

"Ok, firstly, were only half leprechauns."

But Patrick quickly cut her off; "Our hosts, then you must be…Sally Skellington?"

The figure razed her hands to her hood as she gently corrected my sister.

"No, Sally is my mother."

She raised the hood and removed her mask. Patrick gasped softly. The figure was that of a young, startlingly thin rag doll girl about their own age. She had pale white skin; her hair was a dark, coppery red. Her eyes were large, black, and friendly, almost like an anime' characters. She addressed them, with a small smile, and with a small nod of her head, began to speak:

"Let me introduce my family. These are my closest and dearest friends, Lock (the cruelly handsome devil), Barrel (The short pale man, now looked distinctly stocky now.), and Shock. (The green skinned girl with enchanting eyes). And my name is Lillith. I am the Pumpkin Princess."

**Ok, just so we are clear, my story is set 17 years post TNBC, so Lock, Shock and Barrel (owned by the genius that is Tim Burton and others) have aged to around 24 years. Lillith, Lucky and Patrick (Owned by me) are about 16-17, I haven't decided yet.**** Ok, are we all up to speed? Good. Ok, Onward and upward:**


	3. Chapter 3 It's my party

Chapter 3. IT'S MY PARTY, AND I'LL DIE IF I WANT TO.

The town square of Halloween town was probably one of the strangest and most macabre sights the twins had ever seen. Yet even Lucky had to admit that there was a strange dark beauty to it. The buildings were large and gothic, built in a bygone age of Edwardian splendor, and stood tall, old but proud. The streets were well cared for and lit with spider shaped fairy lights, which hung from every windowsill like spiders cobwebs. The lights led the small group to a fountain, which was to be the center of this year's festivity.

The Holiday festival was a recent tradition, initiated by the leaders of the various holidays following "that Christmas fiasco". Now, once a year, the members of each holiday would make their ways to the neighboring realms so that everyone- from elves to cupids to Easter bunnies-could grow to "love and understand" each other. But most people would have been right in thinking that it was just a good excuse for a good party- which it was. And this year the honor fell to Halloween Town to host The Holiday Festival, a task the citizens took to with relish.

The fountain was surrounded by a long line of tables and chairs, decorated with Jack-O-Lanterns and floating candles. They were piled high with unusual foods from many corners of the holiday realms. The music, provided by a band of zombies, was something played with strings. No one was quite sure what the song was, but the tune was something up beat, that gave the whole celebration a feeling of fun and enthusiasm.

Around the party tables, various holiday folk gathered. Some were dancing, some eating, but all of them generally having a good time. Especially, Lucky thought, one particular couple in the center of the dancers, twirling gracefully in each others arms. They looked into each others eyes like nothing else in the world existed.

Lucky gently tugged Lillith's arm. "Hay Lil, do you know who those two are?"

Lilith's right eye gave an involuntary twitch. Resisted the urge to snap 'don't call me Lil!' Instead she asked

"Which two? There are a lot of two's out there."

"Come on, you see them, the really tall, really thin guy dancing with the red head."

Lilith tilted her head and raised her chin. "Why do you ask, Lady Saint Patrick?"

"Lucky, please. And I'm just curious. I've got this gift, you see. I am incredibly in tuned to other people's feelings. I can feel what other people are feeling. Call in empathy, telepathy, whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters is that those to are probably the most in love couple I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of couples in my short life."

Lilith smiled. "I know them well. I've known them all my life."

A tall, thin man looked over at them and grinned. He and the red haired woman made their way through the dancing crowd.

"Welcome!" Said the thin man. "You must be the representatives of Saint Patricks day. Patrick the III and Lady Lucille."

Lucky flashed a blinding smile.

"Pat and Lucky, If you don't mind, sir."

The red haired woman smiled. "Well, in that case, Pat and Lucky, welcome to Halloween Town. I am Sally, and this is my husband, Jack. I see Lilith found you. I hope you weren't lost?"

Jack stepped forward to put his arms around his daughter, but she rose one of her eyebrows in a "don't do that" way. And instead gave a small nod.

"Yes Mother. They were lost in the grave yard. It seems our guests favor long walks in the woods. Father, have all our guests arrived?"

Jack didn't seem perturbed by his daughter's cold shoulder. He just looked around the guests.

"Yes, almost everyone is here. The Easter Bunny is trying to avoid Behemoth under the table. Ah… Sandy is over their, talking to Lock and Shock. Barrel is talking to the representative of Patriots day, and the thanks giving representative is here some where. That just leaves Valentines Day, and he should be here any second now."

As if on cue, a sudden collective gasp arose from every woman (and a few of the men) as Cupid himself seemed to glide over the bridge. It would be an insult to say he was built like a Greek god. The gods would have been jealous of this man. His face was an angel's masterpiece and now he was walking over to the small group.

"Lillith, honey, your drooling." Sally said gently, nudging her sister on the shoulder.

Lucky stole a glance at Lilith. She was drooling. But something was wrong. Lucky knew that her hostess wasn't feeling any of Cupids charm. Lillith wasn't feeling love of any kind. Lucky could sense shock, awe, and fear. Lots and lots of fear poring from Liliths wide eyes.

And suddenly Sally's face bore the same expression. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Sally had barely enough time to scream "JACK!" before the world turned itself inside out.

**OOOOOH, Cliff Hanger! Reviews don't worry, I won't leave you in suspense for long, writing this stories too much fun! Until then, please review. Good reviews, bad reviews, their all good.**

**P.S. What do CSI, CSI MIAMI and CSI NEW YORK all have in common? Their leading actors ROCK! Especially Lawrence Fishburn! **

**Cheers, UrbanStoryQueen.**


	4. Chapter 4 STOPCharm Time!

Chapter 4. STOP….. Charm Time!

Patrick had heard the expression 'time stood still.' He had heard that time could 'slow down.' But what blew his mind was the fact that here and now it was actually happening!

The dancers, engaged in a brisk waltz were moving haltingly. It was like watching a company of robots, trying to operate with sand in their gears. The sand, infiltrating the mechanics of the machine, slowly ground into fine gears, until they could not move at all. The music too, had begun to slow down, now it warbled distortedly, sounding sluggish and sick. But oddly, none of those affected seemed aware that any of this was going on. They eased to a gentle stop, the expressions frozen on their faces.

But over the music, Patrick could hear another noise. Someone singing in a soft, cold voice. He turned, and was surprised to see that Lillith was the source of the voice. She was holding her arms across her chest, so that the tips of her fingers touched the opposite shoulder. She held her head high, singing in clear, odd language that Patrick couldn't understand. But his magic blood recognized a protection charm when he heard it. Inspired by Lillith, Patrick griped Lucky's hand and began the banishing spell his Mother had taught him. He squeezed his sister's hand as hard as he could, silently telling her that she needed to do the same. As he and Lucky joined their voices to Lilliths, a deep tenor voice joined them.

Jack Skellington, with his arms wrapped protectively around his wife, was chanting as loudly a he could. As one chorus, the small group focused their magic to try to save the occupants of Halloween town. Suddenly, the air became to thick to breath, and the effort to expand his lungs was just too great to make. The last thing that Patrick heard before his world went black was Lillith's panicked cry of "DADDY!"

* * *

The bitter, sharp slammed Lucky into consciousness. Her vision was foggy, but through her blurry daze she could make out the shape of red haired woman.

"Mother…?" She whispered. Had it all been a dream? But if she had only been asleep, why was she so tired…?

"No, sweetie. Not quite." The red head smiled. "Here, drink this; it will make you feel better."

Lucky could feel the cold glass of a goblet against her lips. Obediently, she sipped the warm liquid. The mixture was bitter, and a hint sour, but not unpleasant.

"It will make you feel better, Lucky dear. It's an old family cure."

She was right. As Lucky drank more liquid, she began to feel the energy flowing through her limbs. She blinked and shook her head to clear her vision. To her surprise, they were no longer in the center of the town square. Now, she lay on a couch, which felt like it was made of bones. Further inspection revealed that it was made of large, varnished bones.

Sally sat at the end of the couch, holding the goblet in one hand. Her sweet face was smiling gravely and tenderly down at the young princess.

"Mrs. Skellington? What happened? Where am I? And (sip)what am I drinking?" Lucky asked.

"Your better off not knowing, Sis." Said Patrick solemnly, as he looked at his sister from the doorway. He looked tired, and a bit pale, but otherwise unharmed, Lucky was pleased to note.

"Pat!" She gasped. "What in the name of four-leafed-clover happened? The last thing I remember is the music going odd, and you started chanting and then I started… and then nothing. What happened Pat?"

"It's ok Dear. Just try to relax. You hit your head when you fainted, that's all." Sally said, reaching into a small bag.

"Fainted? Why did I…?" Lucky gasped suddenly, rubbing a throbbing lump above her right temple.

"Here. Hold this to over that bump. It will reduce the swelling quicker." Sally said, handing Lucky a plant that looked like a dark pink lily pad.

"You see, when you began the chanting spell, you used up to much energy, to quickly. Hence why you fainted. It's just a bit of charm fatigue. Very common for first time magic users. It will pass."

"But I don't understand Pat! What happened! We were having a good time, and then…"

"Time. That's exactly the problem. Time." Said Lillith's voice from the stairs. Lucky turned, and saw that Lillith had discarded her party clothes, and was now wearing long black pants, and a tunic-like black shirt. Her long hair had been pulled back into a pony tail.

"Mother, I'm going to join Father at Dr. F.'s lab. Will you be all right here alone?"

"Of course silly. Now go. I'll stay and look after our guests. At least I'll look after one of them. I think Patrick is itching with curiosity, And might need the walk to get some colour back into his cheeks."

"Hang on. What about me! I'm curious to!" Lucky squawked from the couch.

"I'll tell you what. You can go it you can tell me how many fingers I'm holding up."

Sally pressed her hand gently to Lucky's shoulder, and raised two fingers in front of her nose. Lillith, with a small greeting nod do Patrick, walked to the door. Seeing an opportunity, he sprang forward and held the door open for her. She looked at him with her large black eyes, and smiled ever so faintly.

"Umm… two. And a half." Said Lucky behind them, trying to focus on Sally's spinning hand.

"I see. Maybe you should drink a bit more of the Worms's wart elixir before you go anywhere."

"Right. Wait a minute. _Worm WHAT_!" Lucky's shout was the last thing Pat heard before he closed the door and jogged to keep up with Lilliths determined strides.

"Wait up now! What did happen Lillith? I remember everything started to slow down, but that's all I can recall. What happened after Lucky and I hit the deck?"

"See for your self." Said Lillith grimly. She threw open the garden gate, and surveyed the town from the bottom of the hill.

The first thing Patrick heard was the eerie silence. It felt so loud that he swore it would burst his ear drums. Nothing was moving. An owl, chasing a small rat-like creature, had stopped mid wing beat, hovering impossibly above the ground. Even the moon above them had stopped, frozen at perpetual midnight.

Slowly, Lillith turned to Patrick.

"Pat. For reasons I don't understand time has frozen. I can only hope that once we get to the lab, Father, Lock, Shock and Barrel will be able to tell us why.

_To Be Continued…_

_**Sorry I left you so long! I had the worst case fo writers block! But don't worry, it's cured now! **_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Open Hearts and Open Books**

"_A thousand torments wait on love-_

_The sigh, the tear, the anguished groan-_

_But he who never learnt to prove_

_A jealous pang has nothing known!" (1)_

Jack put the book back in its place on the Doctor's coffee table, noting how badly the page had been dog eared. He wondered, wryly, how much the good Doctor had read and re-read that poem in the days Sally had run away from home.

Slowly and methodically, he paced the rows and rows of books that made up Dr. Finklestein library. He knew that Dr Finklestein was systematic, like any self respecting mad scientist would be. His books were no different from his lab. There was an order to them. Science books for the most part, arranged from Aromatherapy to Zoology, taking up at least five shelves. Shock and Lock were slowly browsing each title, looking for anything that might explain their current situation.

Cupid, the only other member of the party to be shielded by the powerful protection charms was browsing the History section, searching for any other instances of time …breaking…(that's what Lock had called it, anyway) that had ever been recorded before.

Jack and Barrel were making their way through a set of shelves dedicated to poetry. Surprisingly, Dr. Finklstein had an entire shelf dedicated to romantic poets, arraigned by time period, then alphabetically by poet and year of publication. Sally had made the suggestion to at least check the Dr's poetry books, because many of the great prophecies were often written as prose, or recorded as literature and filed away as fantasies too whimsical to be real.

"Shock! Catch!" Absorbed in his research, Jack barely registered Locks voice. Shocks shrieks of pain were infinitely harder to ignore.

"YOU DUMMY! YOU BROKE MY FOOT!"

"I'm not the dumb one here! I warned you I was throwing you a book!"

"Not enough warning, Idiot! OW It hurts!"

"Oh you big baby!"

"SHUT UP!"

"NO. YOU SHUT UP!"

"NO! **YOU!** SHUT! UP!

Jack decided he'd had enough. He snapped the book he was reading shut and began to stride over to the Science section. But as he rounded the corner, a soft "whump" and a familiar growl ripped the air, and Shock and Lock were suddenly running to hide behind his thin frame.

Lillith, hands like claws, teeth bared in a skeletal snarl, straitened herself. Her eyes had closed, and she took a deep breath, cricking her neck from side to side. Her temper collected, and her eyes snapped opened.

"Now look you two! We don't have time for this! We don't have time, period! In case it has escaped your notice, our home, **our friends **are in serious **danger**! Get it through your **thick** skulls! We need to find a cure for them! And we need it, yesterday! Now get serious, or get out of our way!"

Pat, who had been left at the top of the stair case Lillith had leapt off, finally caught up and ran to her side.

"Easy, Lil. Their just blowing off some steam! They're plenty worried about Halloween too! Leave 'em be an' les' pitch in, yeah?"

Lillith glared at him. Then she turned back towards the rest of the group.

"Your right. Shock, Lock, I'm sorry I was so harsh. I'm just… really stressed right now."

"Its…it's all right Lillith." Shock stammered, taking a tentative step from behind her Jack-shield.

"Yeah." Said Lock, bending to pick up the book that began the argument. "We know you don't mean it."

"Hmmm. Now that you're here Lillith darling, why don't you help scan the poetry section with me? Barrel, why don't you and Pat join Lock and Shock? There are still plenty of shelves to navigate through." Jacks cheerful voice instructed.

Pat and Barrel nodded. As Jack and Lillith strode to the other end of the library, Barrel whispered, conspiratorially; "What do you think the chances are the Doc has some science comic books stashed away in here?"

Jack and Lillith walked side by side, the silence of things both wanted to say hovered beside them with the subtlety of a ballet dancing elephant. Impulsively, Jack put his arm around his only child's shoulders.

"Lilly, darling. When did you grow so old?"

Lillith looked up at her father, confused.

"Don't you mean, when did I grow up, Father?"

"No, my little pumpkin princess. You've skipped growing up. Entirely. 'Growing old' and 'Growing up' are two entirely different things. You see when you 'grow up', you gain maturity, responsibility, those boring things. Your so mature your somber. Your so responsible, your dull. And I'm saying this because I love you Lilly, darling. You've grown so old it breaks my heart."

Lillith stopped short and looked at her father, as though she was receiving a harsh reprimand, rather then this gentle sentiment.

"Father…" She began. But Jack put a finger to her lips.

"Lilly, today in the square, you called to me. Do you remember? You called me 'daddy', for the first time in twelve years. And even though I was as confused and scared as the rest of this group, I was just a little bit… happy. You see, when you called to me it meant that my little girl still needed me. That you haven't grown entirely beyond my reach. Silly, isn't it?"

"Father… I'm sorry." Lillith looked into her father's eyes, fighting tears in her own.

"I never realized you felt like that. Please, understand. I'm not trying to shut you out. You're my daddy. I'll always need you, no matter how old I seem. It's just… just… I'm scared."

"Scared? Lilly? What are you scared of, Darling, tell me."

"I'm scared… that I'll… that I'll…" Lillith was slowly finding it harder and harder to talk, her heart wanting to let go of the anxiety that had plagued her for so long. But her emotions chocked her, with a last effort, she gasped:

"Father, I'm scared that I'll fail you. I'm scared I'll fail everyone! But what scares me the most is that I already have!"

Jack pulled his daughter, shaking with suppressed emotion into his arms, smoothing her hair as he had done when she was an upset toddler.

"I've heard what the town's people say about me!" She whispered fiercely against the fabric of his jacket. "They don't think I'm right for this job! They think you should have a son, to rule Halloween town when you're gone! There's never been a Pumpkin Queen before! They want a boy to carry on the tradition! In their eyes my birth was a mistake!"

Pulling herself away, she looked her father in the eyes.

"Father, I need to show them that I can be the Pumpkin Queen. If I show everyone I can be courtly enough, focused enough, serious enough, maybe they'll accept me! But… I couldn't…"

Lillith closed her eyes, images of her friends and towns folk trapped frozen in the square flashed across her closed lids.

"I couldn't save them. I failed. A leader is supposed to protect their people! I'll never be a strong ruler like you are, Father. I've failed **everyone."**

"Bull!"

Lock, Shock, and Barrel had spoken as one and stepped in unison from their places behind the masses of book shelves.

"Lillith Skellington, that's a load of bug squash, and you know it!" Said Shock, putting her arm around her friend.

"Absolutely. No one loves Halloween more then you! No one's as dedicated to the perfect scare as you!" Lock moved to Shocks other side, putting his arm around Lilliths shoulders.

"And If anyone doubts it…" Barrel added, grinning like a maniac. "We can change their minds for them, just wait and see!"

Despite herself, Lillith smiled.

"Thank you guys. You're the best! I forgot… Hay! Look at that chess board!"

With surprising speed, Lillith bounded across the library to the frozen fire place, where a chess board waited for its players to return.

"Lillith, don't you think it's a bad time for games?" Pat ventured, slowly joining the larger group, Cupid swaggering behind him.

"No, no, it's not the board; it's not a board at all!" Lillith swept the pieces off the board and picked it up. Flushed with excitement, she jogged back to the group. When she reached her friends, she raised the board into the air and gave it a shake. The empty board rattled.

"It's a secrets box! Hidden in plain sight! The next time we see Dr. F, remind me to tell him he's a genius! You see, just before time broke, I had a vision of the good doctor sitting here reading this book. Someone interrupted him before he could finish it, and he opened the board and slipped it inside! I didn't realize it was here, because I've never been to this part of the Doc's house before! Now, if I remember correctly, press this black piece, this white square, and slide this notch down a bit… VOILA! Instant Result!

In Lilliths hands, the box sprang open with a small snap! The small party gasped, and gazed at the boxes contents.

Inside, sitting like some glorious treasure, sat a humble old book. Bound in fading red leather, its pages yellow with age and the oil of many eager readers' fingers. Embossed in fading gold, the books title was one simple word;

"_Samhain." _Jack breathed…

To be continued…

**Authors Note:  
**

**To any readers who still remember this story, please forgive me for taking so long to update! I won't waste your time with excuses about Uni getting in the way of my writing time, I'll just say that I'm really sorry, and I hope this long chapter will make up for my tardiness just a bit!**

**To anyone who has favorited this story, Thank you a million times! I'll try not to keep you waiting so long again. Promise!**

**Cheers, Urban Story Queen.**

(1) "A Thousand Torments", a poem by Mary Robinson (1797).


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